Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - November 2000 - No 66
Kath Cottingham

Leader: Richard Pryce

The party assembled in Waun Gwiail-fach farmyard (which, incidentally, translates as ‘small osier meadow’) and was welcomed by Mr and Mrs Stevens. At that moment the heavens opened and shelter was sought in the barn. When the rain eased, a short foray was made into the farmyard to look at some of the weeds characteristic of such nutrient-rich and disturbed habitats but was cut short by a further downpour. After sheltering for several more minutes, it was apparent that the weather was not going to improve and the decision was made to venture-out in any case. With umbrellas raised and assurances from the leader that it was just the 'clearing up shower', Mr Stevens led the way to a small oak-dominated woodland which necessitated crossing a field in which a bull was grazing. A few of the party were brave enough to be shown five plants of Broad-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) within the wood and Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense) on the boundary bank. The party then reassembled under the mature Wild Service Tree (Sorbus torminalis) growing by the track on the edge of another small woodland. The tree was about 18m tall, in full flower and, characteristically, suckers were abundant around it. Despite the rain, the leader demonstrated its distinguishing features and referred to its rarity, it being a species most frequently found in South-east England, but in Carmarthenshire only seven trees are known. It is a good indicator of Ancient Woodland, ie woodland that has survived clear-felling over the centuries, but the weather precluded thorough examination of the woodland floor for herbaceous Ancient Woodland indicators.

The rain continued ever heavier as the party was led over some semi-improved neutral grassland fields to an unimproved enclosure supporting a diverse mosaic of wet and damp acid and base-rich vegetation communities with overgrown hedgerows and areas of dense colonising scrub (SN447084). Several species of sedges were identified including locally frequent Common Yellow-sedge (Carex viridula ssp.  oedocarpa), Hairy Sedge (Carex hirta) and Carnation Sedge (Carex panicea), occasional Star Sedge (Carex echinata), Oval Sedge (Carex ovalis), Pale Sedge (Carex pallescens) and Remote Sedge (Carex remota) and rare Glaucous Sedge (Carex flacca), Tawny Sedge (Carex hostiana), Common Sedge (Carex nigra) and Flea Sedge (Carex pulicaris). Other species of interest included Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix), Bristle Club-rush (Isolepis setacea), Bog Pimpernel (Anagallis tenella), Square-stalked St John's-wort (Hypericum tetrapterum), Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria), Common Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica), Whorled Caraway (Carum verticillatum) and Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis). But of greatest interest to most members of the party were the orchids which included two plants of Common Twayblade (Listera ovata), Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii), Heath Spotted-orchid (D. maculata ssp. ericetorum) and Southern Marshorchid (D. praetermissa). The Marsh Fritillary butterfly has been observed in this enclosure by Mr Stevens in the past but despite the meeting being held during the flight period of the adult butterfly, even had they been present, the weather precluded any search for them.

The 'clearing up shower' continued even harder as the party returned to the farmyard with the leader pointing-out Wood Sage (Teucrium scorodonia) on an acid hedgebank on the way. Examination of the plants in the diverse lane-side hedgerow provided a brief appendix to the meeting. These included Soft Shield-fern (Polystichum setiferum), Male-fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), Black Spleenwort (Asplenium adiantum-nigrum), Common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare) and Guelder-rose (Viburnum opulus). The rain continued as Mr and Mrs Stevens were warmly thanked for their invitation to visit their farm and for accompanying the party. Despite the weather all present agreed that it had been a most interesting afternoon with a great variety of habitats and plants having been seen. It was later found that the weather had remained dry all afternoon on the coast, only 3 miles away! but despite the poor conditions, the formidable total of 186 plant species had been recorded during the afternoon.